If You Don’t Understand,

Ask God
by Jeremy James

As one reads through the insightful works written by Bible scholars in former times,
we do not find any failure, or admission of failure, on their part to understand the
world around them. They could cast a glance at the lives of their grandparents and not
see much that differed from their own experience or perspective. Apart from a few
advances in technology, the rhythm of life remained broadly the same for hundreds of
years.
Over the past century, however, the pace of change has accelerated. This has placed a
greater demand on preachers and pastors to find in God’s Word the wisdom and
guidance that would enable their flock to navigate through a fast-changing social
environment.
Alas, at a time when Christian leaders should have been turning more and more to
God’s Word for instruction, guidance, and understanding, they decided instead to treat
the Bible primarily as a text applicable to – and to be interpreted in the context of – a
pre-scientific, agrarian society. Many forgot that God’s Word is fully applicable to all
events and in all circumstances into the End Time. The arrival of a new ‘scientific’ age
changed nothing. All the answers we need to deal successfully with the challenges of
today may be found within its pages.

1
No man can ransom his own soul
If the Bible teaches anything it is that man is utterly incapable of saving himself. We
are here for a very short time, and the few who are deemed “successful” are esteemed
as such by an audience sorely lacking in wisdom. Where are all the great men of the
19th century? They’re all dead. And the great men of today? They’ll be dead too before
long. All of them.
What advantage then has Henry Kissinger or George Soros over their fellow man?
Their cunning and their wickedness has brought them just a few decades of renown,
after which they too will rot. And even in their hour of ‘glory’ they were pitiful slaves
to the Dark Prince who rules this fallen realm. Very soon they will leave this world to
reap the fearful judgment of God.
So what’s the fuss?
Sometimes men of power are shown their folly before they leave this world. Recently
we saw the pathetic look on the face of a very influential man who, in front of all his
former admirers, was led like a feeble dotard from the leaders’ platform and taken out
the back door. Hu Jintao had been the President of China for ten years, from 2003-
2013, and was without doubt one of the most powerful men on earth during that
period. He was succeeded by Xi Jinping and sat by his side at the 20th National
Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October 2022. Nevertheless, this was the
occasion that Xi had chosen to disgrace his predecessor. Hu was so shocked by his
treatment that he stood dumbfounded for over a minute as Xi’s henchmen held his
arm and insisted that he follow them. The 79-year old pleaded briefly with Xi as he was
ushered unceremoniously from the platform.
What a spectacular fall from the pinnacle of power!

2
Political corruption is universal and highly organized
The corruption in the world today, at the highest political levels, is intense. The
governments of all countries are working together to enslave their own people. The
treachery behind all of this is breath-taking. In fact, the prospect is so inconceivable,
so alien to the average person, that the masterminds behind this conspiracy can safely
assume that less than one percent of the population will realize what is happening,
while the rest will remain in denial until it is much too late to do anything.
Those who are obsessed with political power are unable to understand charity,
empathy and kindness. The Word of God tells us of the official mourners whom King
David sent to comfort Hanun, the son of King Nahash, on the death of his father (2
Samuel 10). Under the influence of his advisers, Hanun believed the mourners were
actually spies sent by David to gauge the condition of the Ammonite kingdom after the
death of Nahash. Instead of treating them respectfully, he had their beards shorn and
their clothing cut off in a most humiliating way. The mourners were “greatly ashamed”
and were instructed by David to remain in Jericho until their beards had regrown.
At this stage Hanun realized how foolish he had been in provoking David. Rather than
await a reprisal, he hired a huge Syrian army to prepare for war. Tens of thousands of
soldiers lost their lives in the ensuing conflict, all because an inexperienced prince
thought he could wield power in a cavalier fashion.
A more experienced ruler made a similar error. Saul tried to undo a bad decision that
Joshua had made by killing off the Gibeonites. We don’t know how many he executed
but the outrage was sufficient for God to punish Israel during the reign of David.

3
The punishment came in the form of a famine that ran for three consecutive years.
David enquired of the LORD and was told the reason. He then consulted with the
Gibeonite leaders and asked them what kind of restitution would be acceptable to
them. And they said, “Let seven men of his [Saul’s] sons be delivered unto us, and
we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul” (2 Samuel 21:6).

The error that Joshua had made with respect to the Gibeonites came from neglect. He
had assumed the Gibeonite delegation were telling the truth when they said they came
from a far distant land. Since they were not Canaanites, he could make peace with
them. But he was cleverly deceived, as were the other Israelite leaders. Instead of
putting the matter to God, as they should have done, they made a binding agreement
with the Gibeonites and let them live among them.

Joshua makes peace with the Gibeonites.

We can understand why Hanun, a pagan, acted rashly and did not seek the guidance
of the LORD. He didn’t know the LORD and was guided only by his fallen impulses.
Saul knew the LORD but repeatedly failed to live in obedience to His Word. He could
have humbled himself but was unable to overcome his own pride. Joshua, on the other
hand, as the chosen successor to Moses, was ever willing to seek the counsel of the
LORD, but, when the Gibeonites arrived, he relied instead on the evidence of his own
eyes. Like Nathan, he thought he already knew the answer.
David asked Nathan if he could build a temple to honor the LORD God of Israel. The
prophet told him to go right ahead – No problema! But he was wrong. He too was so
sure of the answer that he saw no need to consult the LORD.

4
These passages show how easily, and with all sincerity, we presume to know God’s will.
Once we become habituated to living in a particular way, a way that seems to accord
with His will for us, we tend to continue along that course until we meet an obstacle.
This is a very human thing to do, but the Word of God never teaches this! Rather, we
are encouraged to seek His will anew every day and not take His approval for granted.

“Helpless”
This brings us to the challenges that we as believers are facing today. I was chatting
recently with a godly woman about the World Economic Forum. She was one of the
few of my acquaintance who knew what it was and, most importantly, what its leaders
were planning to do. The presence of so much evil in the world almost overwhelmed
her, she said. “I feel so .... [she searched for the word] ... helpless!” But this woman –
old, frail and ‘helpless’ – was actually very dangerous. Yes, in herself, and using her
own resources, she could do virtually nothing, but she knew Someone who could effect
great change in an instant.
Like the three lads who were being escorted into the fiery furnace, we know He can
intervene, but whether He does or not is out of our hands. Either way, our task, just
like theirs, is to trust in Him regardless and absolutely refuse to compromise with
idolatry.
Sadly a compromising mentality has deeply infected the minds and hearts of many
Christians today. They seem to have difficulty believing that, when they pray, their
Father will hear them. Jesus wondered whether he would find faith on the earth when
he returned. Faith means knowing that, when we speak to our Father in the holy name
of Jesus, our voice is heard. But if faith is lacking, the line is down. It no longer works
– “...without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

When Paul said that professing Christians in the End Time would have the form of
godliness but would deny the power thereof, this is what he meant. No faith!
There is a close link between seeking the will of God and having faith in Him. If we
pray every day and expect to be heard – as we should! – then we should also seek His
will every day. True faith will strongly dispose us to do this. However, if we are not
seeking to please Him in our daily lives then we are probably unable to pray to Him as
we should.

5
Christians who fail to condemn wickedness, evil and lies, who remain silent on
occasions when godly admonition is required, and who follow without question the
edicts of a corrupt government, are not living in faith. They do not hate what God
hates! So how can they expect to walk with God if they are not in agreement with Him?
Without faith it’s impossible to please Him! “Can two walk together, except they be
agreed?” (Amos 3:3)

Ask Him!
For those who have difficulty understanding what the LORD requires of them, who are
sorely perplexed by the advancing darkness in the world around them, there is an
incredibly simple answer: Ask Him! Get down on your knees and ask Him for
understanding!
Great is His mercy.
Remember king Ahab, husband of the hideously wicked Jezebel. He had just been told
by Elijah that, due to the murder of Naboth, in which Ahab was implicated, his entire
family would be wiped out. He was greatly disturbed, both by the judgment handed
down by God and by the thought that he might have to witness this dreadful event. In
a state of shock he humbled himself before the LORD, ripping his garments, putting
on sackcloth, and fasting (1 Kings 21). The LORD heard his appeal and instructed
Elijah to tell him that the annihilation of his family and kin would not commence until
he himself was dead.

Ahab covets Naboth’s vineyard.

6
As far as we can tell, Ahab was devoid of all spiritual merit. The Bible actually says,
“...there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in
the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.” (1 Kings 21:25)
Nevertheless, the LORD heard his plea!
This is a precious passage of Scripture because it shows how even the worst offender
will be heard if he truly humbles himself before the LORD.
Our Creator knows how deficient we are in wisdom and understanding. He even
reassures us that we can ask Him for wisdom without appearing less obedient or less
diligent in His eyes:
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)

He will not “upbraid” or chide us for asking, even though His Word already provides
us with the wisdom we need. Note how James refers to the LORD’s generosity in this
regard. It’s as though the Almighty is only waiting to be asked!
So it’s our privilege to do just that!

King David in Prayer by Peter de Grebber (c.1637)

7
The LORD’s invitation
This brings us to the remarkable invitation that the LORD extends to all believers in
the book of Jeremiah:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee
great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
(Jeremiah 33:3)

We may need to read this verse over and over. Is the LORD God who made heaven and
earth actually inviting each of us to do this?
There has been a tendency to interpret this invitation as a promise applying only to
Jeremiah and the prophets, but there are many verses in Scripture which have both a
local and a general application. There is no obvious reason to read this one
restrictively. The invitation was extended to Jeremiah at a time – just after the fall of
Jerusalem – when public demand for divine reassurance was intense. The LORD was
telling the prophet that even the hardest questions would receive an answer.
Jesus reiterated this promise, in effect, when we said,
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” (Matthew 7:7)

We need to explore this further because it speaks loudly to us today. We appear to be

entering a time when people everywhere will cry out for answers, and believers – those
who are truly born again and walk daily in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit –
will need to know how to respond to these distressed souls.
Positionally, our situation will be akin to that of Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem.
And like Jeremiah, we too will need to call upon the LORD, seeking answers to
questions that stretch beyond our understanding.
As we do it will help to remember Asa’s prayer when he faced overwhelming odds. A
gargantuan Ethiopian army of over a million men was about to invade Judah. It may
have been the largest army ever assembled against the southern kingdom. The king
did not frame his petition like a military general asking for reinforcements, but went
straight to the heart of the matter:
“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is
nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that
have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and
in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our
God; let not man prevail against thee.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

He knew he was counted among those who “have no power” but that didn’t shake his
faith. He simply declared that it made no difference! Dear LORD, you are Almighty
and we trust in you. We will fight in your Name and you alone will determine the
outcome. How strong or weak we are is of no importance!

8
Today the Enemy is using fear as a weapon like never before. The further society moves
from the Word of God the more vulnerable it becomes. Satan’s deceitful threats seem
far more dangerous, and induce much greater fear, when a population is no longer able
to recognize the sublime beauty of Asa’s prayer.

Extract from a newspaper published in Gran Canaria.

Note the date: 1 December 2022
Source: https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/A-meteorite-lands-in-the-
sea-with-a-huge-roar-next-to-Gran-Canaria

9
 Cover of The New Yorker, 28 November 2022.
The title of the cover story is “The Future is Here.”

On 21 March 2021, Census day in the UK, only 46.2% of the population of England and
Wales identified themselves as Christians. This compares with 59.3% just ten years
previously. What an astonishing decline – 13 percentage points in a decade. Some of
this fall is due to the huge number of immigrants, both legal and illegal, that entered
the UK over that period, virtually all of whom were non-Christian (as the Luciferian
elite intended). However, it also reflects the widespread displacement of Biblical
values by secular, pagan and New Age ideologies. Professing Christians are now a
minority in the UK for the first time in over 1,300 years.
We are witnessing the fall of what we once called ‘Christendom’, where even hardened
sinners knew that the Bible alone contained the Word of God and that one day He
would judge us all. A fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but in a world where the
vast majority of people have no fear of God, wisdom has all but disappeared. This
opens a barn door to Satan, whose lies become a thousand times more potent. When
he drums up a fresh new fear, such as those associated with pandemics and ‘emerging’
zoonotic diseases, the masses respond as though an oracle had spoken. Lacking the
most basic tools of discernment, they believe whatever they are told, especially if the
message is repeated ad nauseum in the media.

10
These demonic lies can also be used to prepare and propagate false accounts of tragic
events. For example, the “meteorite” seen over the Canary Islands (see insert above)
was almost certainly a missile.

CONCLUSION
We hear a lot today about the dubious value of an expensive college education. The
dumbing down has taken a toll. But before the dumbing down began in our
universities, it had already been honed to a fine art in our Christian seminaries. All
who have been taught by men who graduated from these benighted places have been
subjected to a subtle form of Bible skepticism. If those who preach the Word are not
themselves imbued with an unqualified respect and admiration for its awesome beauty
and truth, then everything they say about it will lack vitality and conviction:
“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and
like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
(Jeremiah 23:29)

We live at a time when believers will increasingly need to ask the LORD to enlarge
their understanding, both of His Word and of events transpiring in the world around
them:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee...”

__________________
Jeremy James
Ireland
December 2, 2022

- SPECIAL REQUEST –
Time is running out...

Regular readers are encouraged to download the papers on this website

for safekeeping and future reference. They may not always be available.

For an easy way to download all papers (over 300), please email me.

We are rapidly moving into an era where material of this kind may be
obtained only via email. Readers who wish to be included on a future
mailing list are welcome to contact me at the following address:-

jeremypauljames@gmail.com

For further information visit www.zephaniah.eu

Copyright Jeremy James 2022

11